Combination mastered and writeable medium and use in electronic internet appliance

ABSTRACT

An optical medium uses a single structure or format (such as identical materials, layers and the like) for both a region for holding mastered data and a writeable area. In one aspect, a writeable region of a medium with mastered content is used in connection with paying, collecting or accounting for usage or royalties for proprietary intellectual property embodied in or associated with the content. In one embodiment, the (preferably write-once) writeable area can be used for storing later-written information such as annotations, highlighting, reordering, remixing, modifications, supplements, collections, additions, bookmarks, cross references, hypertext or hyperlinks and the like. Preferably, annotations and similar materials can be associated, by the user, with particular portions or content of the mastered data.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 09/527,982, filed Mar. 17,2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,683, which claims the benefit ofprovisional application No. 60/140,633 filed Jun. 23, 1999.

Cross reference is made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/315,398of Braitberg, et al., filed May 20, 1996 incorporated herein byreference.

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and process providingdistribution of text audio, video or other content on a medium such asan optical disk storage medium which includes both mastered regions andrecordable regions (writeable regions) and in particular to asmall-format, lightweight apparatus and method of use, for distributingcontent on disks to facilitate either or both of buying and selling(with appropriate royalty payments for proprietary intellectualproperty) and/or annotation correction or revision of the content, e.g.,using the writeable area.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A number of benefits can be achieved using a medium which can readilyand economically provide both mastered content and the ability to writeor record information. As used herein, “mastered” content means contentprovided on the medium before it reaches the user. A common example ismusic CD's in which the music is mastered prior to distribution tousers. Information written onto the same medium containing masteredcontent can be useful, e.g., in any of a number of systems foraccounting for or collecting usage fees, royalties or similar chargesfor use of proprietary intellectual property in such content, includingsystems involving use of the Internet (or other communications systems),thus effectively providing a device which is not only an electronicbook, music or multimedia player or similar content-output device, butalso effectively an Internet appliance (i.e., an apparatus which canoperate, at least partially, in connection with information obtainedusing the Internet or similar communication system).

Other potential benefits from a practical and economicmastered/writeable medium or media player includes the ability toannotate, supplement, update, correct or otherwise supplement or modifythe mastered data with new or additional data. Accordingly, it would beuseful to provide a system apparatus and/or process which is practicaland economical for both mastering of content and writing of content orother data on the same medium.

Many previous attempts to provide mastered and writeable portions on thesame medium have encountered or resulted in various problems. Some datastorage media are pre-recorded only in a serial fashion, such that it isnot possible or feasible to produce the entire content at one time. Atypical example is the pre-recording of audio tapes which, even ifrecorded at high speed and/or simultaneously recording multiple tracks,were generally recorded serially, i.e., beginning at one physical end ofthe tape and recorded along the length of the tape to the other end. Ingeneral, the amount of time required for such serial pre-recording canrender the process substantially economically unattractive. Accordingly,it would be useful to provide a system, apparatus and method involvingboth mastered and writeable portions wherein the mastered content isprovided in the medium substantially all at once.

Many systems that involve writeable media are unsuitable for long-termor secure storage, either because the written information isre-writeable (e.g., typical CD-RW media) or because the informationtends to degrade in a relatively short time period (or both).Accordingly it would be useful to provide a system, apparatus and methodinvolving both mastered and writeable portions in which, if desired, thewriteable portions can be provided in a form which is not re-writeableor erasable, and/or which is relatively long-lived, so as to providearchival information storage, e.g., storage for about ten years or moresubstantially without information loss.

Although there are techniques for mastering content all at once (such asstamping or pressing of vinyl audio recordings or injection molding ofcompact disks (CDs) and the like), the techniques and materials used inthese processes are generally different from those used for providingwriteable areas. Although it is possible to provide, e.g., a dye-basedor other writeable optical disk with some data thereon pre-recorded,typically the pre-recorded data on a dye-based CD must be seriallyrecorded. Accordingly, previous approaches, in order to provide bothparallel-written, mastered content and writeable areas were required tohave different regions for these two different types of areas anddifferent materials and techniques, such as an optical disk having aninner radial area with molded mastered content and an outer radial areawith writeable dye media. Media with two different regions of materialhave proved to be expensive and unreliable to produce. Moreover, thetechniques, machinery and materials for producing such a two-mediumstorage device would typically predetermine the relative amount ofmastered, versus writeable, area and thus was relatively inflexible suchthat changing the relative proportion of mastered and writeable areawould require substantial retooling or redesign of fabricationprocesses. Accordingly it would be useful to provide a system, apparatusand method achieving parallel-written mastered material and writeableregions on a single-medium substrate, preferably such that the materialsand techniques for the two areas used for forming the two areas aresubstantially the same, with the areas differing substantially only asto whether the region has content molded (or otherwise mastered)therein.

Furthermore, many systems require different sets or ranges of opticalparameters for reading mastered data versus reading later-written dataand/or for reading mastered data versus writing data. In some cases thismeans that two or more sets of optical apparatus (such as two differentwavelengths of laser, powers of laser, optical trains or optical arms orthe like) must be provided in a single playback and/or read/write drive.Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus system andmethod using a medium which has both parallel-written mastered data andwriteable areas, but which can be used (for reproduction and/or writing)using a single optical train or optical arm, a single and/or a singlewavelength of light.

In many situations, a person who annotates text (or other content)cannot effectively position or store the annotations so that they appearadjacent to, or otherwise related to, the text to which they refer. Insome situations, annotations are not readily found or accessible.Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a system, apparatus andmethod which provides for annotations of mastered content in such afashion that the user can control the positioning, association and/orrelationship to mastered content, and/or can readily and convenientlyindex, search, link, modify or otherwise use and manipulate annotationsor other later-written content.

In general, it would be useful to provide an apparatus, system andmethod which can readily provide for accounting or payment of royaltiesfor proprietary intellectual property and/or provide annotations,updates, supplements, corrections or other later-written, i.e., (notmastered) content in a fashion which is practical and economical. Itwould be advantageous to provide apparatus, systems and methods forplaying or reproducing both prerecorded and later-written content ordata, on such medium in a manner which is economical, lightweight, smalland otherwise convenient. It would be particularly advantageous toprovide an apparatus for use in connection with such medium which wassufficiently small and lightweight as to be practical for use in or witha personal electronic device (PED).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a recognition of the existence and natureof certain problems in previous approaches, including as describedherein.

In one embodiment, an optical medium uses a single structure or format(such as identical materials, layers and the like) for both a region forholding mastered data, e.g., data which is written substantially all atonce or in parallel, and for defining a writeable area, such as auser-writeable area. In one embodiment the mastered data or content isprovided by an injection molding process. In one embodiment the datalayer is a phase change layer including a phase change film. Onesuitable medium is described in application Ser. No. 09/315,398, supra,incorporated herein by reference. In one embodiment the medium has ahigh data density of about 2.6 Gigabit per square inch of data surface.By providing a high data density of this type, the present invention canprovide for both a relatively large amount of mastered content and arelatively large amount of writeable area, e.g., totaling about 0.25Gigabytes or more on one side of an optical disk, while providing asmall form factor, such as a disk with a diameter less than about 35millimeters. In this way, it is possible, for example, to provide a diskwhich can include uncompressed text data equivalent to about 45 or more1000-page books, plus a writeable area sufficient to accommodate about5000 or more pages of annotations, comments, revisions, etc., on a diskhaving a diameter of about 35 millimeters. Preferably the writeablearea, if desired, can be formed in a fashion such that informationwritten therein is not normally re-writeable or erasable. Preferably thedata, including later-written material is archival in nature such ashaving a expected data integrity life time of at least about 10 years ormore.

In one embodiment a writeable region of a medium with mastered contentis used in connection with paying, collecting or accounting for usage orroyalties for proprietary intellectual property embodied in orassociated with the content. According to one aspect, at least some ofthe mastered content is unavailable for display, playback or otherreproduction or use until a user has entered a key or code (e.g. a codewith which the user receives an exchange for a payment). For example,some or all of the mastered content may be encrypted and the key or codemay form some or all of the information needed for decrypting themastered content. Such code-enabled accessed to mastered content can beprovided in conjunction with the writeable area of the medium in anumber of fashions. In one embodiment, it is desired to provide foraccess to the mastered content which is limited or restricted in one ormore of a variety of fashions, such as being limited to use on aparticular playback device, limited to use by a particular user orperson, limited to a certain number of playbacks, limited to apredetermined time period of playback, limited to using a particulargeographic location or site, or combinations thereof and the like. Forexample, the system can be configured such that, in response to a user'sentry of an access code, the system will record, into the writeablearea, information pertinent to the license (or other use rights) for themastered data. For example, when use is to be limited to a particularplayback device, the system can be configured such that a processorserial number, playback device serial number or other identifier of theplayback device is recorded into the writeable area. Thereafter, beforereproducing the mastered content, the system will verify that theidentifier for the playback device matches and identifier recorded onthe writeable area. In some embodiments, information providing playbackrights for a second playback device may be recorded into the writeablearea, usually in addition to or in place of the original playback deviceidentifier, e.g. in response to entry of a second access code (such asprovided in exchange for a second royalty or other payment).

In one embodiment, the (preferably write-once) writeable area can beused for storing later-written information such as annotations,highlighting, reordering, remixing, modifications, supplements,collections, additions, bookmarks, cross references, hypertext orhyperlinks and the like. Preferably, annotations and similar materialscan be associated, by the user, with particular portions or content ofthe mastered data. For example, when the mastered data includes some orall portions of a text book or similar academic or teaching content, astudent or other user may preferably insert notes or annotations e.g.taken during lectures, for later review which will preferably bedisplayed (or available) adjacent the content to which such notes orannotations refer or relate. In one embodiment, some or all of theannotations may be effectively blocked from viewing by a second user(such as another student who licenses the mastered content at a latertime). Preferably the annotations or similar material can be indexed,searched, modified, linked, and the like. In one embodiment the medium,as distributed to users, includes executable programs, such as searchengine programs (e.g. for use in searching mastered content or otheritems), database programs (e.g. for use in organizing or accessingmastered content or other items) and/or programs related to decryption(or other copy protection functions) or annotations (or similarlater-written information). In this way, the media can beself-executing, and/or platform independent, in the sense that users canperform desired functions or operations without having to separatelyacquire and load software for performing such functions. Preferably,techniques are included in the disk data format to prevent binarycopies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of an optical disk without moldedcontent, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a cross sectional view of an optical disk with moldedcontent, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting a media use procedure according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart depicting a security approval procedure accordingto an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of storage ofdata on a disk according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

According to one embodiment of the invention, a data recording mediumsuch as an optical disk is provided which can be configured to have bothmastered content and one or more writeable areas. In one embodiment, thedisk is a first surface, writeable medium generally as described inapplication Ser. No. 09/315,398, supra, incorporated herein byreference. As depicted in FIG. 1A, in the absence of mastered content,the disk 112 has a substrate 114 and a recording layer 116. Therecording layer 116 may be vertically monolithic or may be made up of aplurality of films. Preferably, the recording layer 116 includesmaterials and structure of such a nature that mastered material may beformed in a substantially parallel fashion, i.e. such that substantiallyall of the mastered material is provided at one time. In one embodiment,an injection molding process is used for providing mastered material.Preferably, the recording layer 116 is also of such a nature that someor all of at least those areas which are not mastered, are writeable.Examples of recording layers having these characteristics are describedin Ser. No. 09/315,398 supra. As depicted in FIG. 1A, in one embodimenta first radial extent 118 of the disk 112 has such a recording layerthereon. Although, in the depiction of FIG. 1 a, the radial extent 118is depicted as extending through the entirety of the region from thecentral opening 122 to the outer edge 124, the particular read and/orwrite formats or procedures used in connection with the disk 112 mayand/or fabrication procedures may result in certain areas e.g. radiallyadjacent the central opening 112 or edge 124, be provided withoutrecording layer materials 116 and/or with recording layer material 116which is not used and/or not usable for mastered content or writeableareas. In one embodiment, the disk 112 is of such a nature that, if noportion of the radial extent 118 is mastered, then the entire radialextent 118 would, at least theoretically, be writeable (although aparticular read/write technology used in connection with the disk maymean that certain areas or portions of the radial extent 118 arereserved for formatting, tracks, grooves, servo or similar items andthus normally unavailable for user writing.) Preferably, the recordinglayer 116 of FIG. 1 a is of such a nature that substantially any portionthereof may be parallel-written with mastered data or content.

In one embodiment, mastered content is provided in a radial extent 126(FIG. 1B) by a molding process. Preferably the mastered content isdigital content and the molding provides optically-readable bits (usingany of a plurality in coding techniques, including, error correction orerror correctable coding, run link limited coding, and similartechniques as will be understood by those of skill in the art afterunderstanding the present invention). Although FIG. 1B depicts a singleradial extent 126 being used for the mastered contents, it is possibleto distribute mastered content on the disk 112 in a number of fashionsincluding a plurality of spaced-apart radial extents or “tracks” one ormore continuous spiral regions, circumferential regions or sectors,multiple layers, regions on both disk surfaces and the like. Preferably,substantially all portions of the recording layer radial extent 118which are not mastered (such as by molding and the like) are regionsthat are available for writing (such as radial region 128 in the exampledepicted in FIG. 1B). In one embodiment, the same molding procedurewhich provides the mastered content in area 126 is also used to provideformatting, sector, focus, tracking and/or test areas in the (otherwise)writeable region of the disk 112. In one embodiment, the disk 112 isavailable for use following the molding procedure. In anotherembodiment, additional steps are provided following the moldingprocedure such as coating with a preferably thin (e.g. less than about100 nm) protective material, hardening, curing, or other coating stepsand the like. In some embodiments, information (such as informationwhich will not be the same on all the media) is written in the writeableareas before distribution to the user, e.g. by the manufacturer and/ordistributor. Information can include some or all of a serial number (orother identifier), date and/or time of manufacture,encryption/decryption information and the like. For certain types ofwritten information, it is preferred that the information should bewrite-once (such as serial number or encryption/decryption information).

The relative portion of the initial radial extent 118 which is devotedto mastered, versus writeable, regions can be distributed in any anumber of fashions, depending on, e.g., the anticipated use for thewriteable region 128. For example, if it is anticipated that thewriteable region 128 is to be used only for security, licensing,decryption and similar purposes (e.g. as described below) a relativelysmall portion, such as less than 5%, preferably less than about 1%, canbe devoted to writeable area. If, however, it is anticipated thatextensive updates, corrections, annotations (possibly from two or moredifferent users) and the like will be written, then a relatively largerportion 128 for the writeable area may be desired, such as about 5 to10% or more.

A number of systems can be used for storing data on a disk in accordancewith the present invention. FIG. 4 shows one possibility for datastorage, for purposes of illustrating one example, and those of skill inthe art will understand how to provide other data storage systems, afterunderstanding the present invention. It is common (although notnecessary), in optical disk systems, for initial tracks to be inradially inward locations. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4,radially inward portions 412 are used as a drive management area. Adrive management area can be used for storing items such as a,preferably unique, disk identifier (e.g. a serial number), an area forstoring access or unlocking information, a Table of Contents or otherindexing system for the main writeable area 414, drive calibrationregions (e.g. test regions for determining and/or storing optimal orpreferred read/write power settings for this disk), and the like. In oneembodiment, the writeable area 414 can be zoned by the user (e.g. driveID). Radially outward of the main writeable area 414, in the illustratedembodiment, is a mastered disk information region 416. The mastered diskinformation region 461 can be used for storing items such as a Table ofContents or other indexing system for the mastered content 418, anindication of available writeable area, manufacturer information, typeof content, information on how the disk can be used and/or how to obtainaccess to content e.g., how to get the disk unlocked, so that, forexample, the naive user can receive appropriate instructions.

Preferably the medium 112 is relatively small and lightweight and iscompatible with use in connection with a reader, player or read/writedrive which is also relatively small and lightweight. Preferably thedisk is less than about 35 millimeters in diameter and is useable inconnection with the drive having a width less than about 52 mm athickness less than about 10 mm and a depth less than about 40 mm,generally as described in Ser. No. 09/315,398, supra. Preferably, themedium 112 has relatively high data capacity such as storing about 0.25Gigabytes or more, generally as described in Ser. No. 09/315,398, supra.Preferably, the disk 112, and the drive useable in connection with disk112, is sufficiently small and lightweight as to the useable inconnection a portable electronic device (PED) such as described in Ser.No. 09/315,398, supra, and including players for so-called electronicbooks. Advantageously, the mastered content provided on media accordingto the present invention are substantially smaller and less than massivethan corresponding traditional media. For example, media according tothe present invention used for providing so-called “electronic books”are substantially lighter and smaller than traditional print books, evenwhen including the size and mass of a reader device therefor. In oneembodiment, the reader device includes at least some electronic memory.Preferably, multiple texts (or other content) can use the same memory,as opposed to flash memory-based devices such as many digital camerasand/or audio playback devices such as MP3 which typically useconventional flash memory techniques not allowing multiple contents touse at the same memory and, typically, forcing users to purchasemultiple (relatively expensive) flash memories and/or to discard contentto make room in the flash memory.

As depicted in FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the presentinvention, disks having mastered content and writeable areas aredistributed to users or potential users 212. A number of distributionsystems and procedures can be used. It is possible to distribute suchdisks at conventional retail locations similar to bookstores or recordedmusic stores. Such distributed disks may be distributed without any uselicenses, or with limited-use licenses, or may be distributed with fullor substantial use licenses, typically including a royalty or use feefor covering the type and extent of license provided therewith. It ispossible that different disks may be encoded with different types oflicenses and/or restriction (typically each with a different cost sothat a user may select which type of licenses desired, considering thevarious costs). The license information is preferably encoded on themedium either as part of the mastered information, or written into thewriteable area, e.g. by the retail location, or both. The types oflicenses or restriction that are available can include (withoutlimitation) licenses for a particular number of uses or playbacks,licenses limited to a particular user or a particular playback machine(e.g. keyed to a user password, user key card or other token and thelike), limited to a particular time period, a particular geographiclocation and the like. If it is desired, in some embodiments or systems,a user may be offered an opportunity to buy the copy rather than licensethe mastered content, typically at a substantially higher cost, but withsubstantially no restrictions on use or resale.

In other systems, the medium may be distributed in such a fashion thatsome or all of the potential license rights are not provided oravailable at the time of distribution but may be requested or acquiredat a later time. For example, in one embodiment, media may bedistributed, such as mass distributed, e.g. by mailing and the like, tosubscribers or potential subscribers, to potential users who haverequested the media, or in an unsolicited fashion. In one embodimentsuch mass-distributed media has at least some mastered content which isencrypted or otherwise not available without the input of an access codewhich, typically, will be available only for a payment. In some suchembodiments, certain portions of the mastered media may be accessible,on a full or limited basis, without a fee. For example, a book club maymass-distribute disks having one or more books thereon in encrypted formand corresponding book review, author interviews, advertisements,promotion, selected chapters or other portions and the like available inunencrypted form. Preferably, users may then choose to obtain a license,which may be any of the types of licenses described above or other typesof licenses, in exchange for a payment, whereupon the user will beprovided with one or more access codes for obtaining access to one ormore books. Similar procedures can be used for other types of masteredcontent including still images, movie pictures or videos, data for useby computers such as personal computers, laptops, work stations and thelike, storage for music or other audio purposes, including storage forMP3 players, motion picture, home video or other video storage purposes,voice data, computer programs and/or data, personal information or datasuch as medical data, identification, password or encryption/decryptiondata, credit information, credit or debit card information and the like.Indeed, it is believed that it will be particularly advantageous toprovide for use of the present invention in a wide variety of devices,e.g. to provide for ease of sharing, storing or transmitting of data,e.g. between platforms including, but not limited to devices forplay-back, communication or reproduction of data (including, e.g. image,video or music data), such as personal stereo or other personal (orfixed) music reproduction devices, portable or fixed television or videoreproduction devices, computer peripheral devices, computer gamedevices, gaming or gambling devices, still, video or motion picturecameras, automobile stereos or other audio or video devices, purchase ordistribution devices such as automatic teller machines or other bankmachines, vending machines, and the like.

In one embodiment, the user may select among different types of licensesor restrictions, each associated with different prices or levels ofcost. In one embodiment, the license may be content-limited such asproviding the opportunity to select between accessing, text-only, for afirst fee, accessing text and graphics for a second fee, accessing text,graphics and video for a third fee, accessing text and audio for afourth fee, accessing commentary and text for a fifth fee andcombinations and permutations thereof. In one embodiment, licensees orpotential licensees may obtain desired licenses and/or access codes in aremote-fashion e.g. over the Internet, over a telephone system and thelike. In one embodiment, the drive, player, read/write device,electronic book player, video player, audio player and the likeconfigured for reproducing the mastered data is configured for suchremote access, such as being configured for land-line, cellulartelephone or other wireless connection, satellite connection, local areanetwork connection or other connection to a web site e.g. via theInternet for obtaining an access code or license. In one embodiment,some or all portions of the processes involved in obtaining the licenseor access code are automated. For example, in one embodiment a userreceiving such a disk may choose to simply access desired portions ofthe disk and, in response, the player or other apparatus according tothe present invention will, at that time, or at a later time, access aremote site e.g. via the Internet and/or via a telephone or satellitelink, so as to arrange for license fee payments or royalty payments suchas by charging a predetermined credit card or other charge account,arranging for ordinary billing, charging a telephone, cable televisionservice or other utility service account and the like. In oneembodiment, authorization by the user is requested or required beforesuch automated billing or charging is performed.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, in response to an indication thatthe royalty or license fee has been paid or arranged for (e.g. inresponse to a communication from the host 216, or in response to aprearranged procedure such as a prearranged agreement to charge a creditcard or other account, or in response to entry of a user access code)information relating to the license is recorded in the recordable area224. The type of information which is recorded will depend on the typeof license involved. For example, if the license is limited to aparticular machine, the recorded information may include an identifieror profile of the machine or components thereof. If the license islimited to a particular time period, the information may include acurrent date or an expiration date. If the license is limited to aparticular user, the information may include key card or other tokeninformation, password information and the like. If the license islimited to a particular number of plays or displays, the number of playsor display may be recorded and the like.

At that point, the user may use the media in the player or playbackdevice 226 for accessing or using the mastered and licensed content. Asdepicted in FIG. 3, user would typically insert the disk or similarmedia in the player 312 whereupon the player would read the licenseinformation from the recordable area 314. For example, the player devicemay read an expiration date, a total number of plays, a user password,and the like. Such read information is then compared to the licensecriteria 316. For example, if the license is restricted to a particularplayer or similar device, the player's serial number recorded on themedia and read in step 314 is compared to the player's own serial numberor similar information. If the comparison indicates that the access tothe mastered media is approved 318, playback can begin 322. Other typesof comparisons can include, for example, comparing a read expirationdate to the current date, comparing a read password to an inputpassword, comparing a maximum number of plays to a counter of executedplays and the like. In one embodiment, playback, following approval 318,involves decryption of encrypted content on the media. Preferably, thesoftware for performing the decryption is provided on the media (e.g. aspart of the mastered content). Providing the decryption (or othersoftware related to use of the mastered content) on the disk provides anumber of advantages. The user does not need to separately acquire andload decryption software (although, if desired, some or all suchsoftware may be stored on the user's machine for later user/reuse). Themedia can be largely platform-independent, e.g. such that, regardless ofwhich of a plurality of book readers or other platforms the media isused in, software appropriate for accessing the content on such platformis found on the media. The user does not need to know what type ofdecryption software to obtain (and the user's lack of knowledge ofand/or access to the decryption software is also helpful in avoidingunauthorized decryption). Different decryption or other software can beplaced on different disks, to thwart unauthorized use arising frompreviously-broken codes and/or to provide the user with the mostup-to-date software. In one embodiment, the decryption key is formedusing a combination of the access code (which the user obtains for afee) and a serial number (or other identifier) written on the media(e.g. so a second user can not gain access to content on a second discby using the access code of the first user).

Many other systems for protection of data can be used, in addition to orin place of an encryption/decryption method as described above. In oneembodiment, the protection system uses a (preferably unique) identifierof the drive device (such as providing a unique and/or random number keyor similar code or identifier in a drive Read Only Memory (ROM) or madewith a drive identifier), and/or a (preferably unique) identifier of thedisk, either or both of which may be stored on the disk and used, e.g.as part of a system to restrict usage of a particular disk to aparticular drive. For at least some media, including at least some mediadescribed in Ser. No. 09/315,398, supra, the mastered part of the diskwill display a different reflectivity than a writeable area. In oneembodiment the system can be configured to block attempts to readcertain types of content and/or certain disk regions, which display areflectivity indicative of a writeable area (on the assumption that suchmaterial is legitimately available only as mastered content, and it'spresence in a writeable area indicates an unauthorized copy). Althoughis it possible to store all or part of a disk identifier, or other dataused to control access, in a discrete region of the disk, such as in thewriteable area, it is also possible to embed some or all such data inthe mastered-content area (e.g. interspersed there with, as part of oralong with synchronization or error correction code (ECC) data, and thelike), to make such data hard to identify and/or modify, thus thwartingattempts at unauthorized access. Writeable areas of the disk can be usedto store information related to copies made, e.g. when a user islicensed to make a limited number of copies. In some embodiments, asystem may be established under which blank or otherwise writeable diskscan be provided with special properties, to assist in detectingunauthorized copies; such as a (preferably unique) disk identifier,providing a mastered area with an encryption key, e.g. such that a drivecan only read such key if it is in a mastered area (thus thwartingattempts to copy a key from an authorized disk to a written disk), andthe like.

If the comparison indicates that access to the mastered data is notapproved, according to the embodiment of FIG. 3, a device may output asignal or message to the user 324 indicating that access is denied, mayoutput an offer indicating the cost to the user, of one or more licenseswhich would permit access, and/or may initiate, or arrange for futureinitiation, of a procedure to charge the user's credit card or otheraccount e.g. according to a predetermined arrangement.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, optionally the system may be configured topermit the user to record later-written data 228 such as by annotating,highlighting, writing notes, modifying, correcting, rearranging,remixing, editing, adding to, and the like, the mastered content. In oneembodiment, the opportunity to record such material is provided withoutfurther license fee or charge. In another embodiment, some or alladditional recording is provided only in response to payment of a fee.In one embodiment, the additional material may be material which isdownloaded or otherwise obtained from a third party such as an author,editor or publisher of the some or all of the mastered material, aninstructor or teacher, and the like. In one embodiment, some or all ofthe license fee may be in payment for the right to access and/ordownload revisions or new addition information, updates, errata, test orexamination questions, answers or information, teacher's editioninformation and the like. In one embodiment, a student may use the mediareader for accessing text book content e.g. during academic lectures andmay record keyboard-input, handwritten or hand-drawn graphic input(either directly or using handwriting recognition), audio commentary,and the like, during the lecture or thereafter, e.g. for use in studyingsubject matter. Preferably some or all software used for writing,reading or using such later-written material is provided on the media,providing some or all of the advantages described above in connectionwith storing decryption or other content-access software.

According to one embodiment, when the original licensee, or anotherpotential licensee, wishes to extend the license, e.g. to includeadditional time periods, to extend to additional users or readers orother machines, access additional content and the like, an additionallicense royalty may be charged and paid 232 e.g. including via a remoteaccess method 234 as described above. In response, the new or extendedlicense information is recorded in the recordable area 236 and the mediacan be used in a player 238, in accordance with the extended license,e.g. using a procedure similar to that depicted in FIG. 3.

In light of the above description, a number of advantages of the presentinvention can be seen. The present invention provides a medium which canprovide both a mastered region and a writeable region in a manner whichis cost efficient and convenient. The present invention can provide amedium, especially an optical medium, which uses the same materials,components and/or layers for both a mastered, preferablyparallel-recorded content and providing a writeable area. The presentinvention provides a medium which can store a combination of masteredand later-written material with a high date density and capacity. Thepresent invention provides a cost effective and feasible system andapparatus for providing reliable and preferably flexible licensing formastered proprietary intellectual property. The present invention makesit possible for text content including relatively small-distributionitems such as academic textbooks, technical or other reference books andthe like, to be widely available while avoiding the need for relativelycostly inventory and storage associated with traditional printed bookdistribution. The present invention can provide text or other contentwith relatively low production costs, compared to the costs of aproduction run of a printed book. Printed books typically have a lower(but still relatively high) cost of production per unit, when largerruns are printed. This means the print book publisher must weigh thepotential per-unit savings for a large run against the risk that saleswill not meet expectations (incurring inventory, shipping and/or storagecosts). The relatively low cost and rapid production procedures forinjection-molded media means that such media can be produced inrelatively small lots, with little loss compared to larger lots.Moreover, the smaller size and weight and low cost of the media meansthat inventory, storage and shipping costs are relatively small.Nevertheless, there has been some resistance to non-print media,arising, it is believed, from a perception that such non-print media canbe readily duplicated. The present invention provides a cost effectiveand feasible system for distributing text, trade book, music and othercontent, preferably directly to consumers from publishers while avoidingunauthorized distribution and/or copying of proprietary content. Thepresent invention provides a system making mastered content, preferablyin combination with writeable capabilities, available in a relativelysmall form factor for both the media and the drive so as to provide asystem which is feasible for personal electronic devices (PEDs),including electronic book readers. The present invention provides amedium which provides relatively high flexibility with regard to thedistribution of mastered and later-written material. In one embodiment areflective coating is provided. In one embodiment the reflective coatingused in the read only area is the same reflective film as the writeablearea. A unique identifying key related to the data encryption, may bewritten to the disk at the time of manufacture, or later. The presentinvention makes it possible to provide annotations or comments whichstay with the media and thus are transferred with the media whenever themedia is accessed, regardless of which player or device is used. Thepresent invention can be used to provide a small and lightweight systemfor accessing text or other material e.g. for use by travelers,students, technicians working on-site and the like.

A number of variations and modifications of the invention could be used.It is possible to use some features of the invention without usingothers. For example, it is possible to use the systems and proceduresfor providing desired licenses or access without using the particularmedia and/or drives described herein or in Ser. No. 09/315,398, supra.It is possible to provide writeable areas used in connection withcontrolling licenses or access or royalty payments without providing foruser-controlled writing e.g. annotations and the like and vice versa. Itis possible to provide media that includes both mastered areas andwriteable area without usina the same structure, material, layers andthe like for the two areas. In some embodiments, some or all of themastered material may be re-writeable and/or erasable. In someembodiments, it is desired to permit accessing the mastered content inany suitable playback device so that the data is not limited to aparticular player. In some embodiments, electronic text books or othercontent can be viewed or accessed with any or all of a number of devicesincluding, e.g. a personal digital assistant (PDA), portable computer orelectronic book reader. Preferably, notes, highlights, bookmarks, crossreferences, annotations and the like may be included in the textmaterial for later printout or review. In some embodiments, keysembedded in the reader unit and/or the media can control portability.The later-written annotations or other material may be provided to laterusers and/or may be made inaccessible to later users. In one embodiment,a reader or other device can be configured for displaying the amount ofunused writeable area remaining e.g. such that later users or licenseeswill know how much additional annotation or other additional informationcan still be recorded. The storage capacity of the media can be used forstoring numerous items, including, without limitation, any or all of aplurality of different books or other works on a single disk, Audio,video or image content, provision of one or more books (or other works)in multiple forms, such as in complete or abridged versions, two or moredifferent languages (or providing other multiple language support),providing reader assistance such as dictionary information, e.g. forwords included in the works, historical or other related information,thesaurus services and the like, commentaries by the author, critics,other readers, literary criticism, commentary or explanations,advertising, excerpts from other works (or other “teasers”), audioannotations and other items. The writeable area of the media can be usedfor numerous items, including, without limitation, any or all of codes,programming data or the like for use in unlocking all or part of theother mastered and/or later-written material (e.g. unlocking selectedones of multiple books on a disk), either for unlimited future use ortime-limited use (e.g. to effect leasing of disk content for a period),storing keyboard-entered, handwritten, audio or other user notes orcommentary, instructional, pedagogical or academic content, such ascourse syllabi, teacher notes, tests, supplemental material, which insome embodiments may be downloaded or otherwise acquired at thebeginning of a course, book updates or corrections (e.g. errata),creating or storing a custom book collection, storing of personalsettings, preferences, bookmarks and the like, updating or correctingreference works such as catalogs, user manuals, atlases, travel guides,phone directories and the like (e.g. so that a user can have access toan up-to-date resource by downloading only corrections, i.e. withouthaving to download an entire new edition). A number of systems andprocedures can be used for obtaining a decryption key or other accesscode (e.g. in exchange for a payment), including, without limitation, bytelephone, by the Internet or similar communications system, in abookstore or other traditional retail location, in a classroom (e.g. fortextbooks), through a system of kiosks, and/or by buying or otherwiseobtaining pre-unlocked disks.

The present invention, in various embodiments, includes components,methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depictedand described herein, including various embodiments, subcombinations,and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how tomake and use the present invention after understanding the presentdisclosure. The present invention, in various embodiments, includesproviding devices and processes in the absence of items not depictedand/or described herein or in various embodiments hereof, including inthe absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices orprocesses, e.g. for improving performance, achieving ease and\orreducing cost of implementation. The present invention includes itemswhich are novel, and terminology adapted from previous and/or analogoustechnologies, for convenience in describing novel items or processes, donot necessarily retain all aspects of conventional usage of suchterminology.

The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intendedto limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. Althoughthe description of the invention has included description of one or moreembodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variationsand modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g. as may bewithin the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understandingthe present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which includealternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate,interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or stepsto those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/orequivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein,and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subjectmatter.

1. An access method for an optical disk including a single continuousinformation layer having a first region containing parallel-writtenmastered content and a second region which is user writable, the methodcomprising: recording license information in the second region of thesingle continuous information layer; comparing the license informationto license criteria; and permitting access to at least a portion of themastered content responsive to the comparison of the license informationto license criteria.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical diskis a first surface optical disk.
 3. An access method for an optical diskincluding a single continuous information layer comprises a phase changelayer.